College pets

I’m not ashamed to admit that I remain a steadfast newspaper reader (how could we do without those long thin bags for the morning walk with the dogs?), drawn still to paper and ink. This week, like most, I am spending days getting through the Sunday New York Times. Last night I came upon an article on page 14 of last Sunday’s National News section, “Colleges Extend The Welcome Mat To Students’ Pets”. Some tidbits…

Stephens College has experienced a three-fold increase of incoming freshmen wishing to take advantage of the school’s pet policy, resulting in the school’s decision to renovate a dormitory specifically for students and their companion animals. According to the article, “The dorm, dubbed Pet Central, will have a makeshift kennel on the first floor, staffed by work-study students who will offer temporary boarding and perhaps a bath.”

Other schools joining Stephens include the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, State University of New York at Canton, Eckerd College, and Washington & Jefferson College (which not only has rooms for students with pets, but also for pet-less kids who wish to live in close proximity to those with animals).

Eckerd College (in southern Florida) lists, among its permitted pets, snakes which are less than 6 feet long and are non-venomous.

The various colleges appear to be taking the issue seriously, which is of course the right thing. Pet Councils are the norm, and rigorous rules (along with provisions for enforcement) are in place to make sure that the pets are getting the proper care, and that they are not creating a nuisance for others.

Since all topics apparently require a heated debate, there is one brewing on this as well. The pro pet side argues that the policy might help with a young person’s smoother transition away from the family home and towards greater independence. The anti side counters that having pets may serve the exact opposite purpose, that giving students the opportunity to enjoy the comfort of a loved family member might prove a disincentive to reaching out in new ways to meet new people.

In my university years I spent only one semester on campus, where smuggling in dogs, cats and other pets was a pretty regular part of college life. So with this change in policy and the move to legalize marijuana, it does indeed seem that the times they are a-changing!